First 2012 Sighting of Edible Ants

Ants for sale!

Colombia's famous edible ants, or hormigas culonas - literally big butt ants - have arrived in Bogotá again!

The ants are caught near the Venezuelan border, and are a food tradition inherited from indigenous people. Today, like many things, the ants are said to be aphrodisiac. I've never noticed that effect - just a very crunchy saltiness.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

First Sightings of 2011: The Big-Butt Ants!

On Plaza Bolivar: Buy my ants!

A Colombian tradition, hormigas culonas, literally big-butt ants, are finally in Bogotá. Normally, they arrive weeks earlier, but this year's torrential rains and flooded-out highways apparently delayed their migration.

The ants come from Santander Department and were traditionally eaten by the indigenous people there.

Today, they've become a novelty food throughout Colombia. See them being prepared here.

Wow!

Yuck! Ants are not for everybody.

Their name refers to their voluminous rear body part. 

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours

Hormigas!

It's hormiga culona season!

Those are ants collected in Santander Province, near the Venezuelan border, which are sold in little plastic bags costing a few thousand pesos. They were a traditional food of the Guanes indigenous people, providing proteins for their diet, and are now a popular novelty food. They taste crunchy and salty, and even have their own web site.

The ants are also a bit risque. Hormigas culonas means 'big-butt ants.' And some say they're aphrosidiacs. Go find out for yourself.

This blog written by Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours.